Terence Crawford wants Claressa Shields to stop chasing a fight with Laila Ali and start showing the retired champion more respect.
During a recent episode of The Real Report With Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda, Crawford was asked whether he would like to see Shields face Ali.
“No. Leave Laila alone,” Crawford said. “Laila paved the way for Claressa to become who she is today.”
Crawford, who retired in December with an undefeated 42-0 record, said Shields should “pay homage” to the women who helped build the sport. Ali, the daughter of Muhammad Ali, ended her career in 2007 with a perfect 24-0 record.
The possible matchup has fueled a long-running feud between Shields and Ali. Shields has repeatedly attempted to draw the former champion out of retirement, while Ali has stated that she has no interest in fighting her.
Last year, Shields accused Ali of “hating on the youth” as she continued campaigning for the fight. Ali later responded that Shields should not be “rewarded” with an opportunity to face her.
“I am not going to let someone with bad character continue running freely and dragging my name without accountability,” said Ali at the time.
“Since 2018, Claressa Shields has repeatedly used my name to gain visibility and build her public persona. Her obsession with being seen as a better fighter than me stems from her desire to be viewed as the greatest female boxer of all time. Shields has even drawn constant comparisons between herself and my father, while referring to herself as the self-proclaimed GWOAT,” Ali continued.
Crawford said pioneers such as Ali should not be discredited simply because women’s boxing has continued to grow.
“Back in the day, Laila was the highest-paid female boxer,” he said, noting that Amanda Serrano and Shields later reached similar heights.
